Temperature regulation apparatus and method

Abstract

A temperature regulation apparatus includes a dry ice module that encloses dry ice so that the module's outside surface is not hazardous to touch. Insulation, breathable material, or a combination of insulating and breathable materials, allows dry ice sublimation at a sufficiently slow rate within the attached dry ice module to control the ambient temperature in the area to be cooled. The dry ice module can be attached in a location that maximizes the dry ice cooling properties, typically at or near the top of the area to be cooled. Since sublimated carbon dioxide is heavier than normal air, it falls to the bottom of the area to be cooled and builds up. The venting placement in the dry ice module is based upon the make up of the dry ice module and the breathable materials inside of it.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 686,080, filed Mar. 14, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,975,504, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 253,348, filed Oct. 19, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference and now abandoned.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates to an apparatus and method for regulating the temperature in an enclosed area. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises a dry ice module that can be adapted or retrofitted to various items that need temperature regulating. The invention provides an apparatus for effectively utilizing dry ice as a temperature lowering means in any situation requiring the temperature to be controlled at a desired temperature. The dry ice module eliminates problems associated with the use of gel packs or wet ice (H2O) as the cooling vehicle when trying to maint...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can maintain lowered temperatures for extended periods of time without the mess associated with wet ice and other liquid media.

[0022]According to another embodiment of the invention, the temperature regulating module includes a removable middle envelope for positioning intermediate the inner envelope and the outer envelope. The middle envelope encloses the inner envelope and the outer envelope encloses the middle envelope, whereby a rate of sublimation of the carbon dioxide can be increased by removing the middle envelope.

Problems solved by technology

This process is time consuming, messy, does not provide a uniform temperature over an extended period of time, has the potential to soak and ruin inadequately protected items that are adversely affected by water, and requires a renewable source of wet ice.

However, to be reused, they have the disadvantage of requiring refreezing in something such as a household freezer, which is not typically available during travel away from home, and other environments in which the cooler is to be used.

In addition, the amount of cooling time provided depends upon their size, and they are rigid which takes up valuable space that otherwise could be devoted to items requiring cooling.

Further, although the gel packs and other refreezable pre-packaged products are commonly available and eliminate the messiness associated with wet ice, they are not typically large enough to provide temperature regulation for periods longer than are possible with wet ice.

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